Clutch mechanism.



W. L. MILLER.

v CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1912.

- I III/ Pajzented Ma 27, 1913.

- UNITED; era-ans PATE T-01m ns,

WILLIAM L;' MILLER, or mnmson, W'ISCONSIN, assrenon To GIsiioL'r MACHINE 7 'COMPANY, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

CLUTCH" MECHANISM.

Specification of and u'sefullmprovements in Clutch Mechanisms, of which the following is a specifica-J tion.

This invention relates to improvements in clutch mechanisms, and has reference more particularly to clutch mechanisms of what are known as the expansion ring type; and my invention is more immediately concerned with a new and improved mechanism for effecting the application and release of the clutch.

My present improvements have been designed more particularly for use on or in connection with theback-gear mechanism of lathes and similar machines, although applicable generally toany situation wherein this type of clutch may be employed.

Among the objects of my invention are; to effect an economy in the space required for the clutchoperating or controlling nicthanism: to provide mechanism con- .veniently adaptable to alternately acting clutches .located side-by-sid on the same shaft and providing for the engagement .of either of such adjacent clutches, or the disengagement of both, by a limited movement of the clutch-controlling mechanism; and, generally, to provide a simple, highly eztficient, and improved clutch mechanism of the type referred to.

In the accompanying drawing 1 have illustrated one practical form in which the principle of the invention may be embodied,

i and a form well adapted for use in connec tiogl with the variable speed gears of the back-gear train of a lathe, 1n whicl I Figure 1 is a view, partly-1n elevation and'partly in vertical section of'my clutch.

mechanism and its immediately cooperats ing parts; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, may; designate the power shaft of a machine, such-as a lathe, to; which my present mprovements are applicable, the same b'eing mounted n Application filed March 23,

Letters Patent.

1912. S eria1No.685,7 83.

here '7, and provided with a driving pulley 8. ljast on the shaft 5-are variable-speed driving gears 9 and 10, the latter being of greater diameter than the former. Suitably 'journaled inother bearingsll on the frame members 7 is -'a counter-shaft 1 2 17 designates a clutch member formed with a longitudinally slotted hub.1'8v that is fast on the shaft 12, and lies betweenand within the opposed hollow faces of the'gears 15 and 16. This clutch member 17 has lateral flanges 19 on its opposite sides supporting split expansion rings 20 that are-adapted, when expanded, to frictionally engage the inner peripheries of the gears 15 and 16, and also radial bearings 21 in which are slida lg ly mounted expansion plugs 22. The expansion plugs 22 are, as herein shown, so constructed as to be capable of a limited adjustment as to length; but as this-form of clutch, including such extensible expansion.

plugs is old and Well known-and in itself forms no part of my present invention, the same need notvbe herein further described. The outer end of each plug isbeveled or' Patented'May 27, 1913.

which,.in the application of the invention to i tapered, as shown at 23, and enters, wedge-- expansionring 20, in the ma ner clearly shown in Fig. 2, the outward, n v'e'ment of 'cl utch member 17- and, through the latter,

pansion plug is formed witli'a beveled'or tapered point 24; which rests'in-a notch 25 formed in the outer edge of a lever 26. Each, lever 26, of which two are-herein SlIOWIlylS formed at one end-wit-ha n0se27 suitable bearings 6carried-by frame memthat fulcrums upon the outer surface'of fashion, "between the adjacent ends of the 28 of the levers 26 lie.

the shaft 12, and at the other end with a nose 28 that engages a cam'hereinafter described. I

That portion of the shaft 12 lying within the hub 18 of the clutch-spider 17 is formed with a transverse slot 29, in which the ends slidably mounted in the bar 13 of the shaft 12 is a rod 30, and

the portion of said rod which extends across the slot 29 of the-shaft 12 is formed with a similar, but somewhat narrower, transverse slot 31; and keyed in this slot 31, as by a screw 32, is a double-ended cam plate 33,

the upper and lower ends of'which also lie within the slot 29 of the shaft 12, and en gage, by their inclined or cam surfaces, the noses 28 of the expansion plug levers 26, in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 1. lVhen the cam 33 occupies the intermediate or idle position shown in Fig. 1, both expansion rings are disengaged from the gears 15 and 16, and consequently no rotation is impartmechanism.

clutch-shifting lever 35.

left from the position shown in Fig. 1, the

expansion ringpertaining to the gear 16 is placed in driving relation to the latter gear,

so that the shaft 12 is then driven through the gears 10 and 16.

The rod 30 may be actuated in any way to eflect the bodily shifting of the cam 33, but is preferably actuated by the following shaft 12 between the hub of the gear 16 and the bearing '11 is a circumferentially grooved collar .34 engaged by the upper end of a That portion of the shaft surrounded by the collar 34 is formed with a transverse slot 36; and that portion of the rod 30 which extends through the slot 36 is likewise transversely slotted, as shown at 37. Through the slots 36 and 37, and snugly fitting the latter, extends a cro-ss bar or pin 38, the ends of which are -fast in the collar 34. By this means, when the lever 35 is thrown to one side or theother, the rod 30 and'the cam 33 carried thereby are shifted longitudinally, relatively to the shaft 12, to a sufficient extent to actuate the clutches in the manner described; it being understood that both the slots 29 and 36 in the shaft 12 are of sufii'cient width to permit the maximum required movement of the cam 33 and pin 38.

From the foregoing it will be seen that, by locatin the actuating or controlling mechanism 0% the clutches largely within the shaft itself, a considerable economy of space is effected, permitting, in the case of a pair Slidably mounted upon theof alternately acting clutches, the placing While I have shown the invention as ap:

plied to or embodied in a double or alternately acting clutch mechanism, it will be apparent that the same is equally applicable to a single-acting'clutch mechanism, and,

further, that the detail construction and arrangement may be somewhat varied from that shown without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention,

It will be further evident that, while I hav shown the clutch-controlled members 15 and 16 as spurgears driven by the cooperating spur gears 9 and 10; yet the said members might be belt-driven pulleys or sprocket-wheels, or analogous elements, within the purview of the invention.

The term expansion ring clutch mecha nism, as used in the appended claims, is intended to designate and include the'expansion ring 20, the radial plugs 22, the carrier 17, and the plug-actuating levers 26, or their equivalents.

I claim 1. In combination, an axially bored an slotted'shaft, a hollow faced gear loose on 1 I said shaft, an expansion ring clutch mechanism fast on said shaft'within said gear, a

cam for actuating said clutch mechanism located within the slot of said shaft, and a rod slidably mounted inthe bore of said shaft and connected to said cam for actuating the latter. v

2. In combination, an axially bored and transversely slotted shaft, a hollow faced gear loose on said shaft, an expansion ring clutch mechanismfast on said shaft within said gear, a cam for actuating said clutch mechanism located within 'the slot of said shaft and bodily shiftable lengthwise of the latter, and a rod slidably mounted in the bore of said shaft and carrying said cam.

3. In combination, an axially bored and transversely slotted shaft, a pair of holloyv faced gears loose on said shaft, expansion ring clutch mechanisms fast on said shaft within said gears, a double-ended cam for actuating said clutch mechanisms locatedwithin the slot of said shaft and bodily shiftable lengthwise of the latter, and a rod slidably mounted in the bore of said shaft and carrying said cam. V

4. In combination, an axially bored shaft formed with a pair of transverse slots therein, a hollow faced gear loose on said shaft,

an expansion ring clutch mechanism fast on said shaft within said gear, a cam for actuating said clutch mechanism lo :ate d ably mounted in the bore of said shaft and carrying said cam, said rod extending across.

5 both slots of said shaft, a ciroumferentially grooved collar encn'cling said shaft opposite the othen of said slots, a. pin connecting said collar to said rod through said other slot of said shaft, andv a clutch-actuating lever engaging said grooved ;collar.-

' WILLIAM L. 'MILLER. Witnesses 4 H. J i PARKE, Rmmom 

